


Best Enemies

by Mithen



Category: NXT, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Frenemies, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 02:39:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7783555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mithen/pseuds/Mithen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone is worried about Bayley when she's not called up to the main roster at the draft.  But Asuka watches her reaction, and reaches her own conclusions about Battleground and who Sasha's partner will be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Enemies

Everyone was watching Bayley. Asuka was too, she was just better at hiding it than the other wrestlers. But she was watching Bayley’s face as the draft went on like everyone else, and like everyone else she saw the grief and disappointment deepen with every call. Oh, there were bright moments: the beam of joy and satisfaction with Finn and American Alpha’s names rang out; the honest delight when Nia and Alexa--her enemies, even her enemies!--were called. And her smile at hearing Carmella’s name dazzled the room. But everyone could still see the pain, the worry, and the frustration clouding Bayley’s clear bright eyes. Asuka could hear the whispers and the murmurs around her. Everyone was worried about Bayley.

Asuka found Bayley after it was all over, sitting in a stairwell alone, her hands covering her face.

“Bayley,” said Asuka.

“I’m sorry you weren’t called,” Bayley said, her voice muffled, her face hidden.

“I’m not,” Asuka said. “I have the title and I must defend it. This is my place, for this time.” She paused, looking down at Bayley, wondering how much to say. Wondering if she could find the English to say it. But she had to try. “You are a liar, Bayley,” she said.

_“What?”_ Bayley didn’t uncover her face, but her voice sounded outraged. 

“Everyone else sees your sadness. But I can see more. Your joy shines through your movements. Your…” She groped for the right word and gave up in frustration. “Your looking-forward is brighter than any sadness.”

Bayley didn’t move. She was waiting.

“You are Sasha’s partner at Battleground,” Asuka said with a sense of triumph.

Bayley dropped her hands and smiled at Asuka like a pure jolt to the heart. She didn’t confirm it, but the smile told Asuka everything she needed to know. And suddenly there was a grief in her own heart. 

“You will be gone,” she said. “NXT will be a memory to you soon, and you will have bigger prizes to chase. Will you not fight me with all your heart at Brooklyn?”

Bayley jumped to her feet and grabbed her hands. “Oh, Asuka,” she said. “Nothing will keep me from giving you the fight of your _life_ at Brooklyn.”

“Oh,” said Asuka, and joy lifted her up like one of Bayley’s balloon men, filling her with delight. “That’s good, my best enemy.”


End file.
